Just as there is an array of unique and differently-abled human beings, so there is with students. An instructor is faced with the challenge of identifying how different each student is, being able to relate with them, and learning their strengths and weaknesses to nurture them accordingly. Students in a class range from overactive to quiet, hardworking to lazy, distracted to keen and intelligent to dyslexic. The latter is a mostly overlooked quality, as it can go for years undiagnosed, making such students subject to stigmatization and self-doubt; therefore, every instructor and person, in general, should know how to identify and nurture a dyslexic student.
Dyslexia is a disorder that affects the brain's parts that process language, therefore making it difficult for affected people to learn. It is also called a reading disability. The disorder affects one's ability to process speech, identify sounds, and learning how words relate to sounds to produce speech, also called decoding. Dyslexic people do not have low intelligence quotient, as many would assume. With special education programs or tutorship, dyslexic students can succeed academically. As aforementioned, dyslexia can go undiagnosed for years, sometimes even for life. It starts with childhood and becomes more visible and identifiable as the person grows. Dyslexic students are prone to self-esteem issues because they cannot match up to their peers' strengths. Such self-esteem issues may also arise from stigmatization from peers and pressure from parents and teachers.
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Dyslexic students exhibit notable symptoms as they grow. Young children start talking late and learn new words slowly. They often have difficulties forming words correctly, such as confusing similar-sounding words or reversing sounds in words. Once in school, they are challenged in remembering words, the alphabet, nursery rhymes, and other basic exercises. Their reading level is usually below the expected level at their age. Dyslexic students mostly struggle with remembering a sequence of words or items and have a hard time identifying similarities in words and sounds. The latter makes them immune to most pun jokes. In that vein, they also struggle with spelling and mathematics. As they grow older and realize how hard it is for them to do specific exercises, they prefer to avoid them altogether. Usually, they do so by not doing homework, missing classes, sitting at the back of the class to avoid being called out by the instructor, and exhibiting a generally quiet demeanor in class.
Due to the societal pressure in academics and intelligence, dyslexic students are often unable to realize their full potential because their guardians and instructors cannot pass academic excellence. They have talents and skills in activities outside the scope of academics, but the concerned adults ignore or deem them unnecessary. For this reason, dyslexia can have negative influences on a student's social and economic life. Sometimes it may lead to more significant mental disorders like anxiety and depression.
Dyslexic students are often unaware of their condition. Those who are usually interpret it as 'less than everyone else.' Emotional support is, therefore, crucial for them, mostly at a pubescent age. Dyslexic students who have embraced their condition and worked through it attest to guardians' and instructors' support as critical factors for their success. Instructors may be tempted to feel that dyslexic students lack effort or are just lazy. In such cases, an instructor should be patient with them while instilling hard work virtues in them. Spreading awareness of the condition is vital in ensuring such students worldwide are taken care of properly.
